


Impossible Standards

by Hadronix



Series: Alternate Endings or Routes [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: A single dismemberment, Alternate Ending, Dream Sequence, F/M, Like we're hitting Fire Emblem Warrior levels here, Overpowered Tiki, POV First Person, Refusal to Stop Fighting and Atone, Regret, Resurrection, Revenge, Sacrifice, Second Chances, Somber but happy ending, and Grima, magical control
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 04:11:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15525780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hadronix/pseuds/Hadronix
Summary: *Alternate Ending for 'Her Anchor', if you don't want to get confused, read up to Chapter 10: The Voice is Silenced.*Naga watches over the world, with a vow to never interfere, however, when she realizes that vow causes both her daughter's death and plunges one timeline of the world to fall to chaos, and is about to cause another version to fall, she breaks that vow. She will no longer stand by and let Grima have his way.And so Tiki is brought back, with her mother giving her existence up for a second chance, a last ditch effort to rid the world of Grima. With an empowered Divinestone in hand, she and a force of her mother's followers, including Say'ri, they form a counter to take the Fell Dragon out.They need to win, or else Grima will be completely unrestrained.





	Impossible Standards

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem Awakening or the Fire Emblem franchise in general.
> 
> Again, *This fic is based off of 'Her Anchor', though you only need to read up through Chapter 10 'The Voice is Silenced' to get a grip on what has changed from canon*
> 
> This was originally meant to be an alternate ending to another story I was going to type up, however as 'Her Anchor' continued, I noticed that more and more events were lining up with the other, so I decided to scrap the other story.

Everything around me is at peace, like mother herself has walked these grounds and blessed them with all of her might. I take a deep breath, verdant green grass, all manner of trees and flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, and there is a wind just strong enough to make it feel just **right**. My verdant green eyes sparkles with tears of joy as I drink the view, “This place is wonderful!” I exclaim to anyone and anything around me.

“I knew you would love this place.”

I startle as I turn around and my body shakes with excitement, “Mar-Mar?” Sure enough, the Prince of Altean stood no more than several feet away from me, that gentle smile graces his face. “How…?” My high voice squeaks out.

“I was informed that you would be waking up soon, so I decided to take you on a little trip before you woke up.” He looks at the surrounding area, his Falchion still strapped to his waist.

My heart swells from pure joy and I have to keep myself from bouncing in place, “It’s beautiful.” I finally lost control and throw myself into his arms, “Thank you…” Tears of happiness escape me.

“How are you? It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” And always looking after others first.

I smile and yawn, “I’m still very sleepy, but now that you’re here…” I rub my face against his chest, “Everything will be wonderful.”

He pats my head and chuckles, “You are going to be sleepy for a while, but we can speed that up,” His wording caught me off-guard, _‘It usually doesn’t take me long to fully wake up, not with my energy.’_

“What do you mean, Mar-Mar?” I tilt my head as we break the hug, “I’m young and I have lots of energy.” As if for emphasis I start running around in circles around him, “See?”

Then I gasp in pain and trip, but he is there before I even fell a few inches, “I’m afraid I’m not talking about how awake you are in the normal sense,” I face him and he has a grim look on his face, “Tiki, you need to pull yourself together.”

 _‘What is he talking about?’_ I can smell some sort of grave concern off of him, “Mar-Mar?”

“Something terrible has happened recently,” He looks away, “And **you** need to be awake so you can have a chance to fix it.”

“Just me? You won’t be there?” I frown.

Tears form in his eyes, “Tiki… I’ve been gone for thousands of years now.” His form shimmers, as if he is just a reflection. “I’m only here to help wake you up, the world needs you awake.”

I feel a sudden burn in my stomach, “Mar-Mar? What’s going on? Why do I hurt so much?” The only thing that would burn like that is… Suddenly **I** change, I’m taller, older and there is a scar on my chest, I look around and the ground around me is steeped with blood, yet Mar-Mar remains the same, “What…”

“Tiki, you need to remember,” I look back at him, “You were stabbed.”

A corpse... a Risen stands several feet from me, with that dreaded blade in its hand and memories start swarming in, “Wyrmslayer,” I breathe, and now the scenery shows a group of people surrounding us, they look so fam… “The Shepherds.” I look back at him…

And he has a glowing white stone in his other hand, “Naga gave her life to empower this,” He places the stone in my hand.

“That’s my… Divinestone.” Yet, it feels so much more powerful, “Mother gave…” I frown, she and I have not been on the best of terms, but… _‘She told me she would never directly interfere, so if she went back on her word, gods…’_

He nods, “Grima has traveled back in time with Lucina and the others,” He says, “Tiki, you need to pull yourself together, the world is at stake, you are the only hope.”

“But… Lucina’s Falchion is empowered, I can sense mother’s blessing and...” I stop as he shakes his head.

“It lies at the bottom of the ocean.” That one sentence shattered the scenery.

“...You **let** her die!” I turn my head and see Say’ri yelling at Robin. “Don’t you see it?” She turns to Chrom, “That only people that died are the ones **he** doesn’t like?!”

He hesitates and shakes his head, “We still need him, Say’ri.” Chrom replies.

She spits at the ground before Robin’s feet, “ **You** need him, **my** part of the rebellion will not serve under this… sorry excuse for a Tactician.” She storms off.

“Olivia and Inigo are dead.” I say, and somehow I am standing on my own.

“Tiki, you need to wake up.” Mar-Mar’s voice echoes throughout the area, even though he is nowhere to be seen. “Please.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first thing I hear is sobbing, “I… failed you, Lady Tiki.” That is… Say’ri. “I could apologize for the rest of my days and it would not be enough.” I hear her get up, “Men!” I hear more people respond to her call, “We…”

She stops as I gasp, I can **feel** the energy pouring out of my Divinestone, “Mother…” Tears escape me.

“Tiki? Lady Tiki!?” She whirls around and is next to me in a second’s notice, “Gods…”

The other soldiers are whispering, “How? She was ran through with a Wyrmslayer…”

I bite through the pain as I get up, my Divinestone seems to be numbing most of the pain, “Mother…” I repeat.

“Did Naga bring you back?” Her eyes lighten.

I slowly nod, “At the cost of her life.” The area goes silent, “She gave her life to empower this.” My Divinestone glows with an energy similar to a blessed Falchion… but stronger. I gasp, _‘It still burns, but not nearly as bad as I thought it would’_ , “Where are they?” A grim determination fills my person, I don’t want to, but there is only one way to end this, but perhaps if I can just take Grima out, then the rest will come to their senses? I mean, that is one way to rid of a dark magic hex, kill the Dark Mage who casted it.

“The Shepherds?” She guesses and I nod, “They are returning to Ylisse, they have killed Walhart… somehow.”

“The city was demolished, Lady Tiki.” A soldier kneels, “Buildings and all, rumors state…”

“Grima.” I interrupt as another wave of silence follows, “He has followed Lucina back in time.” I look my followers over, “We need to strike back, soon… before they engage with Validar.”

“Lady Tiki, you are weak, wounded, and…” Say’ri starts.

I shake my head, “We have no choice, besides… Grima thinks I’m dead, we can use that to our advantage.” I feel a divine fury enter as my Stone glows ever brighter, “Gather who we can now, we’ll depart for the Dragon’s Table as soon as possible.”

The Swordmaster nods, “Yes, Lady Tiki.”

 _‘Mar-Mar…’_ I gaze up to the clouds and though it is daylight, I imagine the stars are out, all of my friends. For a second, I swore I saw a star, glowing brighter and larger than the rest, even brighter than the sun itself, _‘Mother,’_ The light fades. I have been given a chance, something deemed impossible.

I have survived being ran through with a Wyrmslayer, or… maybe I did die? Not that it matters which, I am here and I am alive, but now? Now, Grima will pay. With my Divinestone in hand, empowered beyond any weapon that ever existed, maybe even every weapon combined, I will strike him down. Though I can only pray that the innocent ones of the Shepherds, the ones who are being dragged along can be spared.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trip to Ylisse was… difficult. Not so much the trip itself, but to keep myself hidden from the public eye. All of this effort would be in vain if word got out that I am alive…

If Grima found out I am alive... I shiver against the thick brown leather cloak I have been given, while I ride in the convoy cart. This has to be the single most uncomfortable position I have ever been in, but if that is what it takes to get the surprise attack, then that is what I will do. Say’ri climbs into the cart, “Your wound?”

I smile, “It is as healed as it will ever be.” I place a hand over it and I can still feel the tenderness, its liability to open easier, “It appears even Naga herself can’t completely heal a Wyrmslayer wound.” My mouth forms a thin line. “And that is a disturbing thought, considering this is a man-made weapon we’re talking about.”

The swordmaster shifts uncomfortably, “I am at… unease for the coming battle, Lady Tiki.” Her eyes lock with mine, “Even with your empowered Divinestone, I find myself asking ‘is it enough?’ We’re not just fighting Grima, but also Robin and who knows who else he has swayed to his side.”

I nod in agreement, “It will be difficult, but we will win, we have to.” I shiver to think the consequences if we don’t stop him, “I’m sure most of the Shepherds aren’t sided with him, though.” The Divinestone seems to glow in response and the surface of it shifts and reflects light in a specific pattern, “Hm?” I stare at it as images start to form, “A… vision?” I gasp, _‘That’s right, mother gave herself for this, which means she is_ **_in_ ** _my Divinestone.’_

No voice accompanies it, but I can tell its intention, first Grima’s form shows, followed by Robin, Severa, Morgan, Tharja, Henry, and… “Nowi?” She fell to his influences, too?

“Lady Tiki?” Say’ri shoots me a concerned look. “What about Nowi?”

I glance up at her, “We’ll be fighting her, Severa, Morgan, Tharja, and Henry alongside Grima and Robin. Everyone else we can get on our side.” I smile at that thought, _‘Good, the more the better.’_

“Hold!” I hear one of the soldiers shout, “State your business!”

I share a look with Say’ri, “That’s not good.”

“You encroach on **my** territory, manspawn.” I get up.

“Lady Tiki!” She tries to stop me. “Let me.”

I shake my head, “I need to.” I climb out of the cart to see a Taguel mere feet away from the caravan. “Ma’am.” I call out.

Her stance loosens… before becoming even more threatening, “Impossible,” She snarls, “What Dark Magic is this?”

I remove the cloak that has kept my secrecy on the boat… and everywhere, really. “Naga sacrificed herself to save me, I assure you, that this is no Dark Magic.” I hold my Divinestone out, “Grima needs to be stopped.”

Once more she slowly relaxes, “The manspawn Tactician is mine.” A frown replaces her scowl.

I nod, “As long as you’re willing to fight for the world’s safety.”

She scoffs, “I fight for the Taguel… for a chance to repopulate.”

I frown at her declaration, “Very well.” I internally sigh, _‘As long as Grima is stopped.’_

Panne walks up to the caravan and takes her place several feet behind the last cart. I put my cloak back on and climb into the back once more. I smile at Say’ri, “One more for our cause.”

She nods, “And she will be a very valuable fighter.”

The Plegian brown, dry deserts are in sight, a stark contrast to Ylisse’s verdant green fields. We have made one last stop on a village near the border, this will probably be our last restock before the battle. “Lady Tiki.” Say’ri approaches me, “We have replenished our supplies, all that is left is the journey before us.”

I nod with a grim expression, “Then we shall resume our travels.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Days pass as the sand seemingly never ends, there is also the very noticeable lack of people, no Plegians, no Grimleals… and no bandits. “The Shepherds must be about ready to engage Validar, we need to move!” I state.

Another day and it is in sight, the Dragon’s Table, I can clearly make out thousands upon thousands of people walking towards it, “Gods…” I breathe.

“The sight is sickening.” Panne comments, “These fools rush to their deaths with open arms.” I nod in agreement.

“We need to keep our profile low.” Say’ri says while handing the Taguel a cloak like mine, “Please, we need every advantage we can get.”

The beast-shifter looks like she is about to reject it, but I goad her on, “Very well.” She sighs and places it around her. My force slowly starts to bleed into the massive crowd of Grimleals, we make sure to stick body-to-body, we can’t afford to lose anyone. It seems like we are crawling with the speed we are going, because the Grimleals are in a trance, some of them stumble and fall, some stop moving completely, one even vomited. It hurts to see them in such a state, but we can’t stop and help.

I feel a sense of dread run through my body as we reach a courtyard before the grand, stone stairs of the Dragon’s Table… where the other Grimleals stop. It seems as if this is where we are going to be forced to blow our cover, we **need** to get in. “Lady?” Say’ri whispers.

“Now.” I simply nod and we continue moving, trying to keep as composed as possible, the further we can get without having to use extra energy by sprinting, the better. Strangely though, the halls are empty, not a single thing is here. Are the Shepherds not here yet? Validar? Grima? Still, we continue to move until we reach the spot of the Dragon’s Table, where a lone figure stands, he is tall and…

“Validar…” Panne hisses. I nod in response.

“Lady?” Say’ri whispers.

My Divinestone lets out a small pulse, “We can’t just hide, they have Nowi influenced and she’ll pick us out in a second’s notice…” I sigh.

“Just kill the dastard and we’ll wait in his place.” The Taguel states.

“But then Grima will be alerted.” Say’ri shakes her head.

“If we can take out Grima, his hold on the others will be broken.” I add then nod, “Let’s remove Validar.” We make our way in, where Validar is oblivious, or is not acknowledging our presence.

It wasn’t until we were within an arrow’s reach that he decided to turn around, “The Sh…” He stops as he looks us over, “Not the Shepherds? But you are also no Grimleal.” He readies his tome and dark magic pours from his hand, “Show yourself, intruders.”

I was about to reply, but Panne lets out a bestial growl and charges the man in a second’s notice. An earthy aura envelopes her as she shifts, her already incredible speed becoming even faster to the point where I am having trouble keeping track. “Die!” She nimbly dodges a spell as she lands a single hit before moving out just as fast.

“Say’ri.” I nod and the rest of us move in, though I hold off on shifting and opt for a sword, maybe I can keep my identity hidden a little longer. The Swordmaster has discarded her cloak and lands a lightning-fast strike on Validar.

“Fools!” The lone Grimleal shouts as he casts another spell, which misses the Taguel, she was already long gone. He grunts and shifts targets to Say’ri, who also outsteps him, “Damn it!” He was about to cast another, but I land a sword strike and step back, the cloak almost coming off in the process. Another sword, a claw, a fireball, all of these and more keep pelting the man, but he somehow finds the energy to keep guarding.

“Useless.” Validar drops as another presence enters the room. “Say’ri?” I turn to see… Robin? No, I sense an enormous evil presence in him, “I figured you would be too busy bawling your eyes out over that pitiful daughter of Naga.” He smirks.

“Say’ri!” I whisper-yell, but she is already angered and charges the man, Panne not too far behind. “Gods…”

Grima-Robin simply crosses his arms and smirks as no less than a dozen Risen suddenly appear before him and Say’ri is forced to strike them down, losing her momentum as a dark spell slams into her. “Predictable.”

I move in next and my Divinestone glows, “This is your last day, Grima.” To my benefit, he actually looks surprised, enough to where a stray arrow imbeds itself into his shoulder.

“Impressive trick.” He regains his composure, “Perhaps I should have made sure you stayed dead.” I scowl as I shift, my form feeling even stronger than I thought possible, yet he seems unbothered. “Ruin.” He calmly says, noticeably without a tome, and a void appears under me, I fly out of it and unleash a divine flame on the Risen, giving the other foot units time to engage. Soon the Fell Dragon is being overwhelmed, but he doesn’t seem to mind. “Goetia.” Another void forms from under him and shadow spikes up, impaling no less than eight of my followers. He simply bats his hand and several more are pushed away by an invisible force, “Is that it?”

Say’ri lands three strikes, but he catches the blade with his hand, and only a few drops of blood indicate any pain. His hand takes a darker appearance and he snaps it with his hand, Say’ri gasps, but pulls out her second blade and lands a slash, before discarding her first and backing up. Panne leaps in and knocks the man over, while landing strike after strike, then he blasts her up far into the air, I swoop in and slow her fall. She merely grunts her thanks.

I prepare a divine fireball and launch it at him and he holds up a hand… then gasps as it breaks his defenses, another divine fireball hits him a second later and he staggers back. “So, you got a little power boost, then?” Some of his cloak is charred. “Nosferatu.” More of my followers drop as his health is restored. A ball of dark magic forms in his hands and he launches it at me, I shoot a divine fireball in kind and the two explode on contact, I fire a fourth attack and it flies through the smoke, Grima staggers back again, clearly aggravated. “You are starting to piss me off, girl. Goetia.” A huge void encompasses him, it has to be a dozen yards long and spikes impale no less than half of the remaining troops, Panne and Say’ri seem to have keen understanding of that specific spell and manage to avoid being skewered.

“For the Taguel!” Panne shouts as she lands a particularly savage strike on his arm, a huge tear that reveals bone and muscle, I grimace at the brutality of it.

“For Naga!” Say’ri follows up and the sword cuts through the spot the Taguel just hit and off comes his arm from his elbow down. Despite Grima being something needing to be killed, I can’t help but feel a little sickened at the display.

“Begone!” I launch a divine fireball and it seems he is unable to dodge, another stagger, his body is charred.

“How?” He yells in frustration, more like a child throwing a temper tantrum, rather than the powerful and feared Fell Dragon. “Only a blessed Falchion should cause such harm. HOW?!”

“An empowered Falchion is blessed with my mother’s power,” I start, “My Divinestone isn’t just blessed with my mother’s power, Naga has given herself to grant me the strength to win.” Another divine fireball, much more powerful than the rest.

“Naga wasn’t supposed to interfere!” Grima summons a wall of fire, but my attack cuts through it with ease. He falls to his knees. “You… still can’t kill me, fool.” His body is battered, “You can only seal me, as the previous ‘hero’ did.” He struggles to get up, “And you can’t keep sealing me forever, your world **will** slip up and I will have my way.” He falls back down.

I prepare what is hopefully the last divine fireball and launch it, “We will keep stopping you, as you cannot be allowed to win.” My attack lands true and that is it, the sheer power behind it was enough to disintegrate him, sealed, but gone. I finally land on the ground and shift back. “We have to win.” I breathe a sigh of relief.

“There is still the matter of the manspawn.” Panne spits, still shifted, then turns towards the entrance, “and what luck we have.”

I turn to see the Shepherds, the Robin of this timeline and Chrom are in the front, I scan the group and find the rest of the Fell-tainted ones, Severa, Morgan, Henry, Tharja… and Nowi. It still hurts seeing such an innocent and playful Manakete lost in his…

They are still influenced, it just occurred to me as I sense the corrupting force in them, “We’re going to have to kill them.” A single tear escapes me, Say’ri nods.

“Tiki?” Chrom gasps, “But, how… gods, what?” For some reason, the Grima-sympathizers do not attack, they must be trying to keep up appearances for a better angle of attack.

“Chrom…” Robin starts, “Something is wrong… she is still a Manakete.” He gently grabs the man’s arm, “You, who bears the face of the Voice, what sort of Dark Magic is this?”

“It is no Dark Magic,” I calmly reply, “I have been saved by mother.”

“Did you kill…?” Chrom looks around the room, “Validar?”

“Grima did.” Say’ri steps in.

“Huh? But…” Chrom shakes his head, “We have the Fire Emblem, how could he be here?”

“He followed the other children from the future,” I reply, “He only needed the Fire Emblem to regain all of his power.”

“Needed? Then he is dead?”

I nod, “That is right.” I can smell the rage boiling off of both Morgan and Severa, Robin has more of a quiet anger, Henry and Tharja have an aura of frustration about them, but Nowi? Nothing, and somehow that is more disturbing than the rest. “Grima is no more.”

“Then… we won?” Chrom slowly asks.

“No.” A silence overtakes the area.

“But… Validar and Grima are dead, and we have the Fire Emblem what else could there be?” The Exalt is understandably confused, Robin has had a firm grip on what he does and doesn’t know.

“She speaks nonsense,” Robin starts, “Tiki has obviously been subject Grima’s corruption, Chrom. Besides, only a Blessed Falchion can seal Grima.” I smirk, _‘Wrong word, there are a small handful of people that knows the Falchion doesn’t_ **_kill_ ** _Grima.’_ And it seemed he noticed his mistake a second too late.

“Robin…?” Chrom has clearly noticed as well. “What’s going on?”

A moment passes and the Tactician’s expression darkens, “Henry. Tharja.” A wave of dark magic envelopes the Shepherds, “Severa. Morgan. Nowi.” Chrom barely managed to deflect a strike from Severa, his movements seem to be sluggish.

“Get the Dark Mages,” I call out and my followers strike. I shift once more, the power isn’t as strong, I’ve probably been using too much in a short amount of time… I am going to have to space my attacks out. Nowi has shifted and chooses to slam into me, and attempts to bite into my scales, I evade and swipe at her, “Nowi…” I chide, “Come, you are under the influence of Dark Magic.” She is the only one who doesn’t have a direct connection to Grima, maybe… just maybe I can get her back.

And all I get is a fireball as a response, I grimace as I block it with my wing, I land a hit with my tail, “Nowi, please… open your eyes.” Can she not even talk? Does Henry have such a leash on her that she doesn’t even have free will? “Remove Henry!” I shout, just as a huge Dark Magic spell lands on me and I cry out in pain. Henry and Tharja are focused on me, but I can’t shoot a divine fireball, there are too many Shepherds near them.

“You killed father!” A lightning bolt hits me, it is Severa, her body is trembling with rage. She swings her Levin Sword again, but I dodge it, “He was all I had in my time! Nobody else cared.” Another bolt, but it completely misses, her eyes are glistening with tears.

Henry laughs as blood pours out of his mouth, “Looks like I’m going to be seeing my end…” He starts channeling a huge Dark Magic spell as Morgan is there to guard him, the girl deflects a strike from Lon’qu, then slices into his arm, “But I will bring **you** down a few notches, first!” He fires a blast of Dark Magic that seems impossibly powerful for him, he drops before it even goes a few inches, he put his own life into it.

I start to move, but I find myself sluggish as Tharja smirks. “Tiki!” Nowi wails as she slams into me, _‘I knew it,’_ killing Henry freed her, but… “AH!” The spell slams into her instead, I hear Tharja swear and the hex on me is broken, I swoops down and catch the Manakete in her human form, before gently lying her down away from the rest, “Miss Tiki… I’m sorry.” She reaches up before breathing her last.

“You were being manipulated,” I gently say, “but you are free now.” I would do more, but I have to return to the battle. I take back off just as Tharja falls, the rest of the Shepherds have their weapons pointed towards the last three.

“Robin…” Chrom starts, “Come on, you can fight it, it doesn’t have to end this way.” It seems like the Exalt has been trying to talk them out of it the whole time.

The Tactician falters, it seems like he is finally coming to his senses, “You’re right,” He slowly puts his tome away, “But it will.” He unsheathes his own Levin sword and stabs the Exalted… princess. _‘Lucina!?’_

“F-Father…” She whimpers as the blade is removed.

Yet, before Robin could make another move, Panne knocked him down, before ripping his throat out. “Honorless manspawn."

“No!” Severa charges the Taguel, but Chrom’s blade parries the blow. “I will…”

“Severa… you leave me no choice.” He frowns as his blade finds his way through her own chest.

“Mo-mother…” Morgan falls at the same time as her, by Cordelia’s lance.

A tense silence fills the air and I land, “It had to be done.” I simply state as I walk over to Nowi.

“Gods, I can’t believe…” Chrom starts, “How long? How long has Robin been leading me along? That I’ve been trusting his judgement no matter what?”

“He held you under a blanket of Dark Magic,” Say’ri responds, “As the others.”

“But Panne resisted.” He still berates himself, “You noticed, too.” Speaking of Panne, she has already left the area. “So, how did I fail to notice?”

A pause, “I… cannot say I know the answer to that.”

I kneel beside Nowi, the only one who could have been saved. Tears fall as I gently pick her up, “You deserve a better resting place than here, young one.” I move some of her hair from her eyes, “You will rest at none other than the place of my mother’s own Grounds.” I cradle the Manakete as I walk out. “Chrom… be safe.” I call out from over my shoulder.

The threat is removed, but at a very high cost… Naga no longer watches over the world, several dozens of her followers have laid down their lives, and despite performing such horrible acts, the world still lost one of the most brilliant tactical minds to have ever lived, his two daughters. Despite their alignments, two of the most talented Dark Mages also lie dead, and one playful, fun-loving Manakete forced against her will…

And the only one that had to die was Grima, but the others refused to atone, I will choose to remember them for the good that they brought, the battles that have been fought before they lost sight of their original goals… that way they can join the heavens as stars, the stars I have associated with friends. I know they had to have some good left within them, buried deep behind Grima’s influence. I take one more look at Nowi, her expression has turned peaceful, was it like that earlier? I was first too focused on the battle, then I was trying to still get over the results of the battle. I stop in place as I focus on her, _‘If mother’s power resides in my Divinestone…’_ I gently place her down once more.

“Mother, I beg for one more blessing if you can…” I plead to my Divinestone, “Give Nowi a second chance.” It glows, _“It will take millenea off of your life, daughter.”_ Her voice actually comes through, _“It will leave you with mere decades.”_ I tear my gaze from the Divinestone to Nowi… and nod, “She deserves more.” A moment passes, _“Very well.”_ I cry out in pain as it feels like my life is being ripped out, _‘It probably is.’_ Yet, it doesn’t have that slimy feeling Dark Magic has, it feels… enlightening somehow.

“Lady Tiki!” I hear Say’ri shout, “What’s happening?!”

I try to even my breath, “Tiki?” Nowi’s eyes flutter open, “You… saved me?” She looks me over, “Even if it costs a portion of your own life?”

I simply nod as tears form, “Nowi, you deserve more than for your last moments to be filled with pain, I did it so you can continue playing to your heart’s content, so you can find happiness again.”

She grips my hand, but it is understandably weak, then a huge smile adorns her face, “Well,” She giggles, “The first thing I’ll do when I’m up to it… is we’re playing tag.” She dissolves into a fit of giggles.

“I’ll be looking forward to it.” I smile. _‘A few decades, huh? Well, I am going to make the most of them.’_

**Author's Note:**

> This is as close as a 'good' ending as it's going to get for this OoC Severa, it hasn't been and will never be my intention to actually have a redeemed ending for her. I intentionally wrote her to, in the end, become a hated character. I realize that might not sit well with a large number of people, as I'm sure most people are used to a protagonist to be at least likable in some form or the other.


End file.
